Question

Read the following case study. Then in a minimum of 200 words answer the following questions. Responses should be logical and substantial.

What were some lessons learned from this case study? Do you think this author should participate in similar projects in the future? Why or why not? Would you have handled the rollout at the second location differently? If so, how?

Device Selection – No other Phase Is More Important: Mobile Nursing Devices

Case Study: Our story began almost 2 years ago. As a consultant, this author participated in a team that completed a device needs assessment for the selection of point-of-care documentation devices for Big Healthcare System (BHS). Our consultant team was engaged because of an unsatisfactory response from an employee to a member of the facility’s board of directors. The question was “How did we arrive at the decision to select these certain machines that you are asking $1.7 million to purchase?”

Our Team defined the following metrics for device selection:

• Device form factor analysis (workstations on wheels [WOWs], tables, other handheld devices)
• Space availability within patient rooms during use and storage
• Provisions for spare machines
• Downtime strategies
• Analysis of various clinician usage and preferences
• Wireless networking capacity and coverage
• Integration with bar coding and scanning technologies
• Electrical outlet availability (location and quantity)
• Reallocation of existing desktop machines for physician usage

In total, this process was completed over the course of eight weeks, and upon presentation to the board of directors, out team literally received a standing ovation. Upon completion of our work, we presented our strategy and success around device selection, and the abstract of this write-up received a national award.

Based on this success, there was great confidence in our processes. In a new opportunity for a similar device selection process as part of a larger project at a Regional Community Hospital (RCH) in the West, we expected to repeat our success. The project was initiated, and RCH built a team of invested, skilled, and knowledgeable clinical and information technology staff. However, the device selection team was scheduled to meet weekly, as opposed to the concentrated “all hands on deck” efforts experienced at BHS. Thus, from the project design stage, the process was changed to be longer in duration at RCH than our process of 8 weeks at BHS. Almost two years later, point-of-care devices were only just being purchased for use by nursing assistants, respiratory care therapists, and some sporadic use in the intensive care unit.

As a result of the slower, comprehensive, and methodical process for device selection, we identified opportunities that would not have been possible in a quicker, more concentrated project. Some of our notable findings are the following:

• The emergence of newer point-of-care technologies (tablets with scanners)
• Postponement of capital expenditures
• Reconciling specific challenges with wireless network coverage and capacity constraints
• Resolution of infection control issues related to device cleaning and storage
• Planning for medication administration and pharmacy delivery process changes
• Configurations of WOWs

This methodical approach created a new challenge to our credibility, especially among the nursing staff. Because significant aspects of point-of-care device selection requires participation from the front-line nursing staff, we engaged the nursing staff early in the selection approval process. Although early involvement provided education and buy-in, it also led to significant delays in acquisition and deployment, which caused frustration among the nursing staff.

HIT or miss: Lessons learned from health information technology Implementations
by |   Publisher: Ahima | Publisher Place: United States | Year: 2013

Answer 1

One of the main challenges in the health care field is timely access to effective medical care to the general population. This is one of the major challenges facing both developed and developing countries. One of the main reason for this barrier to medical care is caused by distance in accessing care and lack of adequate health care infrastructure and huge medical expense. This will result in a negative impact on the provision of health care to the vulnerable population who are in need mainly to the underserviced remote communities, where large segments of the population may lack access to primary health care services

Health information technology (HIT) is intended to improve the quality and efficiency of clinical care.

Health information technology helps to solve the present health care crisis and thus helps to improve patient safety through the applicationof this advanced technology in the health care field.

To overcome these challenges mentioned above is through the development of the technology and application of it in the health care field.

Lack of Internet connectivity beyond large urban populations, unavailability of the power supply, and limited local expertise in computers and technology are major obstacles in the implementation of effective telemedicine solutions, especially in resource-poor countries, where the greatest unmet needs in health care exist.

Due to the advancement in the cellular networks throughout the world and as well as the mobile cell phone subscriptions and mobile broadband continue to increase with 4G which allows for the transmission of more complex data. Mobile telemedicine technologies provide a portable platform capable of reaching any geographical location that has coverage by a cellphone signal.

The using of health application such as telemedicine in smart phones are being used for the transmission of medical data such as laboratory reports and diagnostic imaging.

Health care applications for smartphones documented 83 applications ranging from those focusing on disease diagnosis, drug reference and medical calculators to those focusing on remote monitoring of patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes and asthma. Smartphone applications for teleconsultation and postoperative follow-up are being explored and developed. However, smartphones have limitations because of restricted processing and memory capacity, as well as issues with communication security and privacy.

There is a need for similar projects in the future that ensure the security and privacy of patient data.